I Won't Back Down
by RoseDare
Summary: Bella Swan is a psychologist with an impressive resume and a backbone of iron. When she's hired at the most violent prison in the country, she uses her skills and her wit to navigate the difficult clients. One of them, Edward Cullen, who has resorted to silence to cope with his situation, is both intrigued at her persistance, and strangely enamored. Updates often.
1. Prologue--Welcome to the Team

Prologue:

Bella watched the man in front of her sift through her portfolio. He licked his thumb, and padded through each page, one by one.

"Impressive, Swan. Straight A's from Harvard in which you achieved a Psy. D. in less than five years, an internship at the Cascade Internment Facilities, and a hands-on-mentorship from Dr. Stratford." He looked up at her with wrinkled eyes and a furrowed brow. "By far my most qualified candidate."

"Thank you sir, I-"

"Swan, I'm going to level with you." He cut her off as he dropped the thick folder to his desk with a dull thud. "You're the sixth person to sit in that chair." He leaned back to open a drawer below knee level. "Each person before you, was qualified, a 4.0 student. So why," After rooting around a moment, he picked up and tossed a small bag of peanuts onto her papers, "do you think, I'm still looking." He opened the bag, and popped one in, shell and all.

"Sir-"

"Why do you think," He cut her off again, and Bella felt a twinge of irritation. "There's not going to be an 8th guy, looking up at me-"

"Sir."

His voice stopped, as well as the loud crunching.

"I'm here because I'm the best at what I do. I'm here because you took one look at my application, and saw behind the degree." She leaned forward now, resting her joined hands onto his desk. "I'm here, because I want the job, and you want me."

There was a moment of silence, and he spit out the soggy pieces of shell into the trash can beside the desk.

Bella rested back against her seat, and placed her hands back on her lap.

"Sir."

His features watched her for a moment, before a slow smile began to crack through his thick gray mustache.

A knock on the door interrupted them.

After a few seconds, he drew his piercing gaze from her and told the intruder to enter.

"Sorry to bother you Mr. Harrison, but you're son is on line two, he says its urgent."

He nodded, and the slim woman disappeared back behind the door.

"Well Swan, It's a tough job." He popped another peanut into his mouth, and threw the empty bag into the trash. "But you seem like you've got big enough balls to handle it."

"Yes sir."

He raised a hand, then pointed at her. "But if you call me that one more time, I'll beat the steel right out of those pretty brown eyes."

Bella smiled, finally.

He got to his feet, looking over her.

"Now that we're going to be seeing a lot more of each other, you can call me Harry. Everyone does."

She got to her feet, and held out her hand. "Well then Harry, thanks for having me."

His large hand shook hers as his crystal blue eyes glistened. "I'm counting on you to whip these boys into shape, god knows the system won't."

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**Hope you liked the Prologue. This is very short, and you can put your money on the chapters in the future being MUCH longer;) Leave me a reviews, I enjoy them:)**


	2. Chapter One--Shaking Hands

Chapter One:

"So, did you get it?"

Bella walked to her car with a smile. After leaving Harry's office with her ultimate dream job, she felt unstoppable.

"Yeah, I got it."

The girl on the other line squealed with delight. Bella laughed and tilted the speaker away from her ear.

"Jesus Alice!"

She could almost see her best friend wave the air at her impatiently.

"I'm so happy for you! Drinks? Tonight?"

Bella clicked her remote and her Volvo unlocked.

"I'm in work clothes."

"So change!"

Bella knew she wasn't getting out of this one.

"_Come on…" _Alice groaned into the receiver. "Let me take my best friend out for some overpriced pina coladas!"

As she fell into the driver's seat, Bella switched shoulders with her cell, and considered it.

"I have work tomorrow…"

"No! Don't give me that. That was what I heard all the way through senior year 'No Alice, I have finals,' 'I can't have fun because I'm too busy sticking a pole up my a-"

"Alice!"

She whined as Bella started the ignition.

"Come on, please, for me!"

"I thought this was about me!"

"It was before that pole up you're a-"

"Jeez! Fine. Okay fine!" Bella giggled.

"You won't regret it! I promise! Clearwater's? At ten?"

"If I'm being forced."

"You're being forced."

"Then I'll be there." Bella put the car in reverse, and pulled out of her parking spot and into the lane.

"And don't wear something with pleats. Or anything with cotton. I want to see that pretty little butt of yours wrapped in something skin-tight and covered in rhinestones!"

Bella groaned as she handed a visitor pass to the security guard at the first gate. Tomorrow she would have to get there two hours early and go through an extensive fingerprinting, DNA, and questionnaire to receive her security clearance access cards.

"Have a good one Miss. Swan."

"You too, Freddy."

He handed her a second pass for the next gate, and she smiled to the aging native man while driving on.

"Oohoh who's Freddy? Don't tell me, he's a six foot eight football player with abs the size of my hands."

At that Bella laughed. "Maybe about fifty years ago."

"Going for the older men I see, tsk tsk…"

At the second gate she placed her pass into a small steel drawer, and popped the trunk for the two young trainees to examine it.

"God, Alice I have to go. I'm driving."

"Alright, but you better show tonight! If I end up all by myself covered in body glitter without a wing-woman-"

"You won't. Bye."

"Bye BFF."

She slid the lock on her phone and rolled her neck.

The back doors opened.

"Hey Miss, don't worry I'll be fast." She glanced over her shoulder at the young African guy with a heavy accent roving his hands over her seat pads.

She didn't mind the search, she knew it was just part of the job.

"Thanks."

Bella unclicked her seatbelt and let him look over the front.

The guy at the back closed the trunk and walked up to her with a small polite smile.

"You're all good ma'am." The southern drawl surprised her, and she lifted a brow.

"Tennessee?"

He smiled. "You've got a good ear ma'am, Nashville."

She instantly liked him, and held out a hand.

"Bella."

He took it and shook hers with a warm grip.

"Michael. But most friends call me Mikey."

The African held open her car door for her.

"Thank you Miss. You're free to go."

"Thanks. I'm guessing somewhere north? Maybe near Sudan?"

Bella had a talent for recognizing accents. She supposed the fascination stemmed from her lack of one.

His smile was wide and bright. "Chad, actually Miss."

Mikey threw an arm over his shoulder with a gentle shake. "Been here for what? Four months?"

The guy threw his shoulder with a laugh and shook his head. "More like seven years!"

What an odd combo, Bella thought.

"I'm Bella."

"Oba."

They shook hands, and after a few more playful quips from Mikey, she retreated into her car, and with a wave to the woman behind the Plexiglas, she merged onto the road.

She had always been pretty good with people. Ever since she was little, she remembered watching people interact, and taking mental notes on how to approach them. Always be prepared, that was her personal motto.

After about a half hour of decent traffic she pulled into her new apartments garage.

Grabbing her suitcase from between her legs, a habit, she headed out of the car, and started towards the elevator.

She thought to the half of an apple pie in the fridge, and licked her lips in anticipation.

When a 'ding' sounded, she took a step, but at coming face to face with a large saint bernard's paw, she shuffled back.

"Shoot. I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Rose! Rose, back up!"

Bella looked up when the dog was forcefully pulled back into the small room. Holding the leash was a woman, maybe in her early sixties, with died auburn hair wiped impatiently to the side.

When Rose was hauled to her side, the woman patted her head, trying to smooth her pinned curls. She was wearing a bathrobe with small bows adorning the chest, and hugely fluffy slippers.

Bella smiled, and got to her knees, holding out her hand for the giant nose to sniff.

"No worries. I like dogs."

The woman smiled wearily. "I used to, but this one has taken all the fun out of it."

Bella joined them in the elevator and pressed the fourth button.

"How old is she?"

"Nine." The woman heaved. "Nine long years."

The elevator binged as it raised a floor.

"A handful?"

The woman snorted. "She's a god-damn basket case."

Bella laughed.

The woman looked at her. "You think I'm kidding? This one eat an entire living room set, a clock, and a table cloth all in one sitting."

"Impressive."

The droopy face looked at Bella pleadingly, and after pausing a moment, and being ushered on, she tickled the furry ears.

"I'm Rosalie by the way."

Bella frowned.

"You named the dog after you?"

Rosalie chuckled. "No, she came with it as a puppy. Figured it was meant to be."

Bella nodded and held out her hand for what seemed like the millionth time that day.

"Bella."

Rosalie eyed her hands, and after switching the leash and poop bag to a different hand she shook it.

The elevator binged again, and the doors opened.

"Well nice to meet you Bella." Rose was pulling her, urging her towards home. "I've got to get the lug back home, but you should come over sometime. I make really strong coffee that pairs great with my husband's donuts."

"You're husbands?"

"Emmett, he's an old baker…emphasis on the old." She winked at her, and the leash slipped out of her grasp, Rose sprinting down the hall.

"Dammit. Come over tomorrow, around dinner and we'll have a neighborly moment, you and me."

Bella bit her lip. "It might be a little late tomorrow; I probably won't be back until ten."

Rosalie was half out the elevator when she flicked the air with her fingers. "That's fine, Emmett sleeps till noon so he's up all night."

I heard faraway scratching.

"I better go get her, see you tomorrow!" And with that, she darted after Rose, pink robe flowing out behind her.

When the elevator finally closed, Bella rubbed her face.

She wanted that apple pie bad.

Pulling her phone out of her slacks, she saw that it was only four. Six hours to veg-out in front of the TV and ignore the boxes.

When the elevator opened to her hallway, she walked to room 217, and let herself in.

Throwing her stuff on the table by the door, she used one of her kitten heals to kick the door closed. Flipping her shoes off expertly, she shuffled to the fridge, and cut herself a slice of that blessed cold pie.

Ignoring all pretense of using the table, she grabbed a fork, and slid down the fridge to the floor, and eat on the linoleum.

She was happy to be home.

Thoughts crashed through her head, and she leaned back against the stainless steel to reflect on her day.

Seeing Mr. Harrison for the first time had been an excruciatingly exciting encounter. She had been to a few of his lectures on behavioral analysis of prison inmates in a social setting, and found his humor matching in hers, and the brains to challenge her.

She didn't think of herself as a snob for intelligence, it was just that sometimes she wished she could talk to someone on a much deeper level than she knew most people were comfortable with, or even capable of.

It was lonely at the top, as her Father used to say. He, at only twenty-nine became chief-of-police in Portland, and in three years, landed an escort job for the President. At forty he was the was hired as a senior security administrative at the FBI's under wraps program for transporting imprisoned terrorists to the U.S. , which he ran in two more years. And finally, at forty three, he became Senior Vice President of National Security.

Bella used to think her father's job was cool, and dreamed of it to be near a mission impossible movie. Instead, it meant many cold dinners, empty conversations, and missed karate competitions.

A hot ball of fur snuggled under her arm, and not realizing she had closed her eyes, Bella opened them and watched it rub against her ribs.

"Hey."

The small kitten puffed up at being addressed, and giant green eyes peered up at her through what Bella guessed to be about sixteen layers of gray fur.

"None for you."

She tilted the plate away from him and shoveled the last bite into her mouth.

"Ha."

Batty, her new, five month old kitten she had found one day on her door step chewing on a dead bat, seemed to think her way : _"Seriously? I'm a cat, you know that right? God you're pathetic."_

Now completely disinterested, he stalked off, 'accidently' shoving his butt in her face.

Her phone buzzed as she swatted the tail tickling her chin. Reaching down, she grabbed it and looked for the new message.

**4:32pm**

**Seriously? No call?**

**JACOB BLACK**

She lifted her plate above her head and after a minute of feeling around, dropped it with a clatter into the sink with her fork.

She hit the dial button.

He picked up on the second ring.

"So…you call Alice, and not me."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Alice called me. And I just got home."

"Whatever, what's the verdict? You get the job?"

Jacob had been her best friend since elementary school, and she considered him much like a brother. He had helped her through the worst of it.

"Yeah." Bella smiled. It was different with Jacob. With Alice, she was so excited, that Bella almost had to take it down a notch just to level out with her energy. But with Jacob, they were so much the same that he gave her room to let herself be happy.

"Right on!"

She heard a motor rev on the other line.

"Yeah…where are you? You at Pop's?" Pop's was Jacob's brand new up and running auto shop in Seattle. They had both joked around that he was only moving from Oregon to Washington for the coffee, but they both knew that it was because they wanted to set their roots close together.

She could practically see him scratch the back of his neck in a very Jake way.

"Yeah…You should come down and see it Bells. I have a wall with your name on it…" He bribed.

She got to her feet, and started towards the bedroom.

"Oh yeah?"

She hadn't painted since the accident, and felt the distinct urge to deflect the conversation from the route it was headed.

"Yeah, maybe we could, you know, meet up and get some paint. It's awfully white."

"Jake…"

"Bells." His voice was firm and steady.

Bella plopped onto her bare mattress.

"It's been four months. Come on." She heard the click of a door behind him, and assumed he was in his office now.

"I know."

She had seen him not two days ago, and she already missed him. "Can you come up here, soon?"

"To Forks?" She heard his skeptical tone.

Forks wasn't exactly a metropolis. It's history was in logging, and when all the resources had been overused and banned from collecting, the government saw potential in the small isolated town for a maximum security prison. Now, the dark green woods growed lush and thick around huge white walls.

"Come on." I mirrored him.

He took a second, and after smacking his lips replied, "How about Port Angeles? We could meet this weekend and catch up."

"The whole weekend?"

"Sure, why not?"

Bella thought about it. "Okay. I'll find a camp site."

"Deal."

They both loved the outdoors, and since it was summer, it was a cheap alternative to a hotel.

"So, tell me about your boss."

Bella snuggled deeper into the pillow top, and gushed.

She talked about Harry, about Mikey and Oba, and their polar opposite-ness worked for them, about her new apartment, about her meeting Rosalie and Emmett tomorrow… and when she finally took a breath, she laughed at herself.

"God, I just talked for a solid two hours. Aren't you tired of listening? The guys in the shop must be wondering where you are."

She heard his clothes move as he shrugged. "I'm the boss, I can do whatever want."

Her phone was warm from being used that long, and it vibrated from battery loss.

Ignoring it, she told him about her plans to meet Alice for drinks.

"Careful," he warned, "That girl can drink. You might end up on the floor your first day."

"I'll stick to the virgin stuff, she never notices. Anyway, I have a suspicion that we aren't going to drink."

"Yeah?" His voice got low.

"Yeah. She told me to wrap myself in rhinestones, so I'm guessing I'm going to be towed around all night as a offering."

"Bella…"

She knew which word he objected to. Honestly, she did too. She just wanted to try it out.

"I know, I know…"

"Bells, it's okay if you don't want to. I mean, if you don't feel ready…"

No. She wasn't letting herself go there.

"I am. I'll call you later Jake. I got to get some dinner."

"Well, okay, but-"

"Bye Jake."

He sighed. "Bye."

She quickly tossed her phone aside, trying not to think about cutting him off. She hadn't meant to shut down, it's just...she could still feel their breaths…

She shot up, and put the steel trap over her emotions. Her training told her she needed to deal, needed to address these issues to move on, but something wouldn't let her.

Glancing at the clock, she saw the time, and realized it was close to eight. She had been on the phone longer than she thought.

Getting up, she went to the bathroom to wash her face. She had lied about dinner. She wasn't hungry. Too many emotions to deal with.

Hands on either side of the sink she looked at her reflection.

Big brown eyes, lashed thickly, and framed by ivory skin. Her lips, she supposed were nice enough, plump and pink. But not pouty. They were firmly held together in a line, daring to open. Her hair, she pulled down and raked through with her fingers, was a deep mahogany color, that wild waves kept in a constant windblown figure, that never subsided no matter the flat iron.

No makeup. She didn't see the use in highlighting the obvious. People knew what she looked like, no amount of cover up was going to hide the pale skin or the bags under her eyes.

She figured she should get dressed. After all, tonight was to celebrate her.

She stripped, ignoring the scars, and got into a scalding hot shower.

The heat felt good, and she relaxed into the spray. She had been tired lately. Probably from tensing and worrying about the job interview.

She really was excited.

Helping those who seemed unshakeable, was a challenge she was more than willing to take. She wanted to show them that they weren't alone, that if they needed her, she was there.

She soaped, scrubbed, shampooed, and conditioned, and finally saying goodbye to the heavenly massage setting she had it set to, she stepped out and grabbed a towel.

Tying it around herself, she headed to the box of clothes she had yet to unpack. She rummaged through, and after a moment, decided on a little blue dress that hugged her curves. No rhinestones, but Bella didn't think Alice was keen on the details.

Her hair lay damp around her face, and taking her bangs into one hand, she twirled them into a single spiral, and pinned them back behind her ear.

Her phone buzzed from somewhere under a pillow.

She found it, and accepted the call.

"Hey BFF, just making sure you're still coming."

"I thought I was being forced."

"Oh you are." She confirmed. "I just wanted to know if I needed to drive over there and stuff you in a pair of stilettos myself or if you've got if it covered."

Bella snorted. "You know very well I can't walk in anything longer than an inch."

She whined playfully. "You're going to where those ballet flats then. The ones I gave you last year for Christmas."

"Okay. But I'm wearing socks." She half joked.

She gasped in horror. "Bella Swan, if you come to Clearwater's in those god awful wool sacks of death, I shall rip them off those size eight feet."

"Alice…" Bella whined.

"Okay, okay, I'll back off. Just an update though. You've got an hour."

"Noted. See you soon."

"TTYL BFF."

Alice was the only one Bella knew that actually spoke text-speak.

She stuffed her phone into a small gold clutch with a couple of twenties, dawned Alice's flats, and after trying unsuccessfully to smooth down her hair, she headed out.

Arriving at the club, Bella climbed out of her car, and looked around for Alice.

"Bella!"

She swiveled away from the street and saw Alice waving to her. She was wearing a slim silver dress, and bright red heels. She looked ready to break hearts.

She was standing close to the front of the line, and motioned for Bella to come.

With a deep breath, Bella squared her shoulders, and smiled as she approached.

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**There you are, chapter one! Here we meet Alice, Jake, Rosalie, Emmett and some of Bella's new coworkers! Hope you like them all, because they are going to be around for awhile;)**

**To see Bella's outfit as well as Alice's and Batty, take a look on my profile!**

**Leave me reviews, they are awesome! **

**See you soon:)**

_I don't own Twilight or any of it's characters. All copyright claim goes to Stephanie Meyer. _


	3. Chapter Two--Cinema

**I know this isn't the usual place for my notes, but there's a few things I want to address before you start reading. **

**One, I have never been in prison (obviously) nor visited one, so you'll have to exuse the mistakes I make during Edwards chapter. Remember, this is all from my head.**

**Two, the conditions at W.W. Pen are extremely bad, and in no way what I think to be happening in the current prison system. Everything I write, is fiction. **

**And finally, a warning to my readers, that this is a very adult themed story, and as Edward is a much harder situation than Bella, and therefore his chapters will be more disturbing then usual. **

**Okay, I know I said this was last, but because I know you all have a black Laurent in your head with dreadlocks, I just want to give you a heads up that in my story, he will be a white man.**

* * *

Chapter Two:

Edward Cullen sat on the pavement, with his back on the metal fence behind him, watching the other inmates circle each other like vultures.

That's how he viewed them, animalistic and primal.

A large man, of about six-nine, was blaring his nostrils at a smaller, yet well-built Mexican.

"Come on you fucker…" The Mexican growled.

The large man shook his head, but those bleak eyes, much like the sharks Edward used to see on posters in his old room, didn't move, dark and deadly.

On each side of the rotating opponents were large groups, egging them on, ready to defend their comrade.

Edward rubbed his chin and glanced towards each guard surrounding them. None of them paid much attention, each playing with a phone, or tossing their baton in the air in a complicated trick.

The larger one, whom everyone referred to as J, was grunting and trembling.

If ever someone looked like they wanted to kill someone, he did.

He was the king out there. People did what he told them to, and in return, he allowed them to survive the experience on Western Washington Pen.

Edward thought very little of him. Watching him now, advance towards the smaller man, he was disgusted. This was not how a man was supposed to act.

"Ohhhhh!"

Edward looked at meeting of the two groups behind J, and found two other inmates were pounding at each other.

Each corresponding group was immediately outraged and lunged at each other.

Edward got to his feet, ready to protect himself.

The guards looked at each other, and with a roll of their eyes, each took out their handgun, and shot at the air.

The riot paused, but only became more vicious.

A middle aged man with a beer belly and cigarette dangling from his lips, shot at the pavement, an inch from J's foot.

The crowd froze, as well as did J's fist in the air. The dangerous form turned from the others, and towards the guard.

"Alright, how about we all calm down. I wouldn't want to take away movie night."

Edward's lips curled in disgust. The guard that advanced towards J, flicking ashes on his shoes, was named Laurent, but known through-out W.W. Pen, as the Peacemaker. Not because he resolved issues, but because his brand of punishment was a little more effective then the states.

"And I know how much you love movie night," Laurent shoved his hands in his belt, leaning his round frame towards J.

J lowered his fist, shaking.

"There we are. I knew you would make the right choice."

Edward had never been to movie night, except for his first evening. It had been one of the worst experiences of his life.

Laurent, with his thick, wet lips, smiled at the crowd behind J pleasantly.

"How about we all follow J's example?"

Immediately everyone released collars, dropped their feet mid-swing, and put their hands to their sides.

"Well excellent."

The other guards copied Laurent's stance and stood on each flank.

"Now who do I think is responsible for this little outburst?" His fat neck leaned back and stared into J's eyes.

"Mendell, Sir."

A whisper of fury fluttered around the Mexican's posse.

"Lau-"

Laurent held his hand up at Mendell.

With a final smirk at J, he turned towards Mendell, and put two beefy hands on his shoulders.

"Pablo. Tell me Pablo, that you aren't the one to blame?"

Pablo bounced on his heels, eyes searching desperately for someone to blame, when they landed on Edward.

"It was him!" He raised a finger in Edward's direction.

Edward wasn't surprised. Being an outcast meant he often had to take the brute of the responsibility when others discarded it. He supposed, in that sense, he was an easy target.

Words burned in the back of his throat, but nothing came out.

Laurent turned to him. "What's your name boy?"

Edward tried again to speak, but as usual, only air puffed out.

"You tryin' to ignore me? Do I look like someone who can just be ignored?" He came toe to toe with Edward.

Over Laurent's head, he saw J watch the situation with a small smile.

Laurent raised his hand and snapped in front of Edward's eyes.

"He don't talk."

Laurent cocked his brow at one of his guard's statement.

"He doesn't talk? Well maybe that's a good thing."He fingered his gun. "See, in movies, they get mad if you try to talk."

Edward's pulse raced in his chest.

"Why don't you come down tonight? You and me, we'll watch the sound of music together. You know that one right?"

Images from the first night swirled in his head. Barbaric images of gasping for air on a scratchy carpet, blood leaking from his nose as he tried to fight back.

The bell sounded for the end of outside exercise.

Nobody moved.

Laurent poked the gun into Edwards shoulder.

"I'll pick you up around eight."

No. No.

Blood was gushing in his ears, and he could barely breathe.

Already he could feel the cold metal on his forearms, heavy and unyielding to his desperate struggles.

Laurent chuckled, and with a flick of his baton, ushered the prisoners into a neat line, to head back in for lights out.

One of the guards followed Laurent to the front of the line, but the other paused, and with a smirk tipped his hat at Edward.

On the inside, Edward's guts were spiraling and shoving up into his throat. He still had the scars from last time on his body, and heard the other inmates cry out in their sleep from the memories.

"Fuck man, you ok?"

Edward was paralyzed, and couldn't even move to look at the large body beside him. He knew from the voice, it was Jasper. His only friend on the inside.

The line began to move, and Jasper shoved Edward into place.

"Listen, just do what he says. It's not as bad if you just don't fight."

Jasper kept talking as they were systematically handcuffed, and searched.

Edward heard none of it. He was lost in his own head. He wouldn't take it. Not again. He wouldn't bow down again to that monster.

As they passed the security gates, and entered the D-Cell Block, his eyes were trained on the small dingy metal door by the guard restrooms, with a chalkboard sign hanging on the handle.

"Cinema Room."

Jasper shook his shoulder, and said some comforting nonsense before he was led into his own cell.

The movie room, as D-Block came to know it, was a torture room. Men were chained to the concrete walls, on their stomachs, so the guards had full access to their bodies. Sometimes it was just a beating, like Edwards visit, but for the ones who acted out, who were the worst, the guards would have their way with them.

The screams, you would think someone would hear, but Laurent had taken care of that. He would project a movie onto the small white washed brick wall, and blast the volume. Always musicals, they were the loudest.

"Hands out, feet apart." Laurent closed the metal cage door on J, and once inside, took of the cuffs.

J was the biggest and baddest, and sometimes, Laurent would take him along with the guards. Something about his size got Laurent off.

It was sickening. The whole fucking process.

The Dean, Sam Uley, was oblivious to Laurent's ways, and sometimes even rewarded him with raises for keeping his block the most behaved in the Pen.

Edward's cell was at the end of the hall, right beside Mendell's. When they came to his, Laurent kept walking, and headed toward the psych evaluation office.

Edward had forgotten. Today was Sunday.

Stopping outside the door, Laurent knocked on the door, and after adjusting his cuffs, led Edward in.

He was so cocky that it made Edward sick.

He knew that he would keep quiet about the evening's ventures, because it took six to eight weeks for a formal complaint to reach the Dean, and in that time, Edward's life as a snitch would become unbearable. By the time it was investigated, he'd be nothing but a pool of blood on the ground.

"Thirty minutes." Laurent informed him as the door opened. "Ah, Mr. Harrison. What a pleas-"

"Save it Coppers." Mr. Harrison turned towards Edward and ushered him in.

"Do you want me to facilit-"

"No." Mr. Harrison shut the door in Laurent's face.

If Edward wasn't in the middle of a panic attack and in shock, he might have chuckled.

"Cullen, why don't you take a seat."

Edward was led to a small metal table, welded to the ground.

Carefully he sat, watching the Dean of Psychological Investigation and Diagnostic Medicine take a packet of peanuts out of his pocket.

He looked up from his bushy eyebrows. "I'm trying to quit." He popped one into his mouth, and shoved the packet towards Edward.

"So, I guess you're wondering why Mrs. Havven isn't here."

Edward slowly took a peanut from the plastic bag, and crunched it between his still cuffed palms, trying to crack the shell.

"She, unfortunately, has been let go, and will no longer be your regular."

He spit out the shell into a trash can, making an impressive distance.

"And I don't tell you that so you can feel superior. I tell you that because after an investigation into her time here, It has come to light how she spent her consults."

Mrs. Havven, in Edward's eyes, was a woman not worth the floor Mr. Harrison spit on. For every session, she had simply turned on her laptop, and watched reality TV shows, ignoring Edward.

Not that he would have talked.

"I won't be your new regular either."

Edward lifted the salted peanut to his lips, but stopped short.

"I've just hired someone, her name is Miss. Swan."

Mr. Harrison stroked his lip, and smiled.

"She won't be like Mrs. Havven in the slightest."

* * *

**Hey guys! Sorry this one was short, the chapter was originally much longer, but I felt like it would make more sense split up. Bella's POV up next.**


	4. Chapter Three--Meeting The Contestants

Chapter Three:

The buzzer sounded, and Bella's head throbbed. She rolled over with a groan, and blindly tapped the ground until her hand met the snooze button.

Today, was her first day.

And she had a hangover.

At the beginning of the night, she had ordered everything herself, keeping her evening alcohol free. But when she ran out of cash, Alice had taken over, and things got a little dirty.

The outing itself was fun enough, she got hit on, Alice got hit on, she was offered more drinks then her poor bladder could handle, and at the end, she had stumbled into a taxi.

This was Alice's fault. Yep. That was what she was sticking to.

She flopped off the mattress, on her back and rubbed her eyes.

Coffee. Dear lord she needed coffee.

Getting first to a crawl, then slowly evolving into a walk, she made her way to the kitchen, and poured herself a pre-made glass.

She may suck at organization, and she may not have just slept in a made bed, but she had made it a priority to set up the coffee machine.

As the warm, bitter liquid made it way into her system, her mind began to de-cloud.

Without taking her lips from her "Roswell" mug, she headed towards the box filled with clothes.

After changing her mind about a thousand times, she decided jeans, and a nice navy blouse would do the trick. She wanted to keep things casual, but business like.

She carried them to the dining room, laid them on the table, and with a final swig, set her mug down to take a shower.

In about twenty minutes she was clean, dressed, and putting on her small emerald pendant her mother gave her on her sixth birthday.

It was moments like these she wished she could share with her.

She took a bobby pin, and as usual, spun her bangs back, and pinned them behind her ear.

She looked ready.

Batty jumped on the bathroom sink in front of her and mewed at Bella's reflection.

"Think I'll do?"

Batty didn't respond, and instead jumped up on his hind legs and set both front paws on the mirror, looking intently at Bella.

She looked down at herself.

"What? Should I put my hair up or something?"

Batty pawed at her reflection.

Bella sighed. "You know, sometimes you're just worthless."

Almost rolling his eyes, he jumped down and landed directly on top of her naked foot.

"Shoes! Oh my gosh, shoes!"

She spun around, and skipped back to her closet. After a moment of quick deliberation, she went with an old pair of purple converses.

She never was one for heels.

Batty seemed to lean against the door frame, and she knelt down and kissed his pink little nose.

"Thanks. You're a lifesaver."

Grabbing her wallet, she stuffed it into her back pocket and flew out the door, padding her thigh to make sure she had her phone.

Once again, she hit a furry wall.

"Damn it Rose! Sorry Miss, I've been trying to train her but she's a pain in the ass and doesn't listen to a word I say."

Rose nuzzled into Bella's leg and gave Bella a chance to look up at the man.

He was in his older sixties, but was the size of a twenty-year-old body builder.

Emmett.

He grinned down at her and held out his hand.

"You must be Bella."

Bella shook his wrinkled fingers and smiled back.

"I must be."

He waved his free hand with the leash to the empty hall way. "Rose was getting restless and I figured a walk would do us both good."

"On the fourth floor?"

Bella distinctly remembered Rosalie getting of on the second.

Emmett scratched his eyebrow. "Okay, I lied. I came up here for some quiet. My neighbors are driving me up the wall, and since this floor just finished remodeling, I thought it would be quieter."

Now that Bella was silent, she heard the thumping of the bass in the floorboards.

"Ah, well I'd love to talk Mr…"

"Cullen."

"Mr. Cullen, but I really have to be on my way. It's my first day down at the Pen…"

"West Washington?"

Bella was taken aback.

"Yes, sir."

Emmett slapped his knee.

"My grandson is down there right now! Small world ain't it?"

Bella was still back pedaling.

"Oh, is he employed there?"

The old man just smiled and shook his head.

"Nope."

Bella paused, and then broke out laughing.

"It is a small world I guess." She giggled.

Rose pulled on her leash, tired of Bella's legs and wanting to smell knew things.

"Looks like Rose wants a move on. You tell Edward I said hello, and that me and Rose are coming in on Wendsday for a visit with his father."

She nodded. "Okay Mr. Cullen."

_Edward, huh?_

Emmett took a step away, then looked back at Bella.

"What's your new position?"

"Sorry?"

"What's your job?"

Bella laughed lightly.

"Oh, I'm their new mental health counselor."

Emmett huffed out a snort then made his way down the isle.

"Hey!" Bella yelled after him. "What's so funny?"

He just swatted the air behind him. "You'll find out."

Bella watched him leave, and after shaking her head, decided today she'd take the stairs.

While climbing down to the garage, she thought about all the security detail bull she was going have to deal with before she could meet her new clients.

Sure, sure, she knew it was protocol, and it normally wouldn't phase her, but she was just too excited to take the waiting patiently.

Pulling out of the parking lot, and hitting the freeway in record time, she got to the Pen around seven. She said hi to Mikey and Obi, and even chatted a little with Freddy through the gates, before parking in her new space.

She walked to the "Welcoming Ward" as Freddy had called it, and after being a little too thoroughly searched by a particularly handsy guard, approached the front desk.

"Name and business."The old woman behind the metal desk chanted.

"Bella Swan. I'm here to receive my security-"

The woman, without looking up, pointed to the adjoining hallway.

"First door on your left, have your I.D. in hand. Next."

A larger woman with a large bust scooted Bella out of the way, and after resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at the woman like a child, she followed the receptionist's instructions.

Inside the second room, was a huge wooden desk, manned by two pale and sickly looking interns.

"May I help you?"

The whole process took about two and a half hours, and by the time Bella escaped, she was thoroughly off her previous buzz.

She had been poked, prodded, questioned, and even drained of bodily fluids to be screened and passed.

When she got to finally head to Harry's office, she was ready to take any bullshit that flew her way.

"Aw, Swan!"

As Harry left his office, he clapped a hand down on her shoulder in a welcoming embrace.

"Harry."

The woman who had interrupted before during the interview poked her head up around his chest.

"Sir?" She held up one finger, and after a moment of Harry raising his eyebrow and her chipper mood slowly deflating, she wisely got to the point. "Uh, sir I was just wondering whether you needed me to move your meeting with Mrs. Goetz to eleven thirty, seeing how-"

"Miss. Swan." Harry ignored the frazzled woman entirely and turned to Bella. "How would you like to see your new office."

The secretary huffed, and walked away muttering something about "nuisances" and "don't get paid enough."

"Actually, I would rather meet my clients first, if you don't mind."

Harry grinned down at her. "I like your thinking Swan."

He turned back into his office, grabbed a thick stack of manila folders and held them out for Bella.

"Lets head into the conference room to discuss your new clientell."

"But Mr. Harrison, you're scheduled-"

"Damn woman, what do I pay you for?! Cancel the god-damn meeting!"

Bella hid a chuckle as she took the stack, and followed him into the small room.

"So," He started with a sigh. "Let me just get my schpeal out of the way. You will be the new head counselor for D-Block, our most high profile criminals."

She sat down, and spread the flies across the table in front of her.

"You will be overlooking a team of four individuals, who will perform sessions with the less problematic prisoners." He sat down across from her, folding his fingers.

"You, will take the top ten in D."

"Top ten?" Bella questioned.

"Yes. You see Swan, we are dealing with murderers here. Real, honest to god killers. The one's you're working with, are the real sadistic mother fuckers."

Bella guestered to the folders.

"May I?"

He waved her on and continued. "Today I have asked your team to take the day off so you can have a short one-on-one with _all _of the D-Block inmates. Although you won't be working directly with most of them, it is important you have an understanding of what case who hand over to which member of your team."

Bella flipped open the first folder, and scanned the picture.

"James Collier?"

Harry nodded.

"He is one of the sadistic motherfuckers I told you about. He was formally charged for the murder of two young men in a drunken sprawl outside a bar in the late 90's." Harry rolled his wrists. "After he killed them, he tried to drain them of blood. Real vampire-like."

Bella read his file. Turned out that James, also known by other inmates as "J", tried to drain his victims by puncturing their jugulars with steak knives, and squeezing the holes.

"Good lord." Bella whispered. "How is he not in solitary? It says here he's in general pop?"

Harry just nodded grimly. "Unfortunately he was only convicted of involuntary manslaughter."

Bella looked up from the papers, dumbfounded. "But the post-mortem wounds…"

"J said they were an accident. His story is that the men attacked him, and in self defense he stabbed them. Then tried to help them by 'opening their airways." Harry shook his head. "To a jury he was a poor guy who made a bad mistake after one to many beers."

Bella ran a hand through her hair. She sifted through five more, getting each of their stories.

Pablo Mendell, a drug dealer from New York who had shot and raped his ex-girlfriend, Randy Marney, a old washed up eighties country western singer who 'accidently' ran over his old record label producer, Demetri Walker, a younger kid who killed his Mom after she turned off his Xbox, and finally Jason Dickson, who was in solitary for planning and executing the cold-blooded murder of his wife and her lover.

"Who's this?"

Harry smiled. "One of my pride and joys. Not many guys locked up I truly admire, but he's one of them."

Jonathan Ranger, convicted of the murder of his father.

"He did it alright. Guilty as day. But in my opinion, he did the right thing."

"What happened?"

"When he was sixteen his father came back into the picture after who-knows-how-long, and started beating and pushing around him and his mother. After one too many drinks, one day his Pops takes out a gun and shoots Mom right in between the eyes."

Harry held up his hand, and made his fingers act out the part of the gun.

"When the dick put the barrel towards Ranger, the kid took the kitchen knife and threw it into Pop's heart."

Bella lifted up his profile to see the previous psych findings on him.

"It says here that in the six years he's been here, he's never talked about the incident…PTSD?"

Harry frowned into his second chin.

"I don't think so. I haven't seen him personally, but all the others said he was distrusting and unwilling to share."

Bella nodded. "It says here that he got passed around to three different counselors, what he needs is consistence."

Bella and Harry talked a while more on the subject, then turned her attention to the last four.

Anthony DeBreeze, aka "DeBruh", was a native Phillie who shot up a cheeseburger joint after the server refused to serve him because of his lack of clothes.

At that one Bella smiled.

Johnny Mackshon, was the oldest of all of them, in his later-seventies, convicted of killing his neighbor and their dog in the sixties.

He'd be an intresting one.

Jasper Hollipe, was the only one who claimed to be innocent in court, but was ultimately convicted of murdering his best friend.

Finally, the last one, and the thinnest, was that of Edward Cullen.

Immediately remembering his name from Emmett, she read his info carefully.

He was in for the murder of his mother, Esme Cullen.

"_**Edward Anthony Cullen was found by police on the seventeenth of April in his residence, holding the corpse of his mother Esme Marie Cullen. The victim had several deep lacerations on her neck and arms. Blood loss is seemed to be the COD. **_

_**When police tried to retrieve the body, Mr. Cullen refused to hand over his mother, and eventually had to be sedated due to potential risk."**_

_**(Testimony from First At Scene, Detective Quil Aterra.)**_

Bella read on.

_**April 23**__**rd**__**, 20002—**_

_**Edward Anthony Cullen refused legal representation, and denied to testify in court, remaining silent for proceedings. **_

_**May 7**__**th**__**, 2002—**_

_**After two hours of deliberation, jury ruled Mr. Cullen guilty of first degree manslaughter. **_

_**June 1**__**st**__** 2002—**_

_**Edward Anthony Cullen put under containment at Western Washington Penitentiary. **_

Bella looked up at Harry. When he saw which man she was reviewing he nodded.

"The prosecutor nailed him. The trial was one of the most rushed and hurried cases in ten years."

She flipped to the last page to see his most current psych notes.

"_It is my opinion, that Mr. Cullen has chosen to remain silent for his stay in the W.W. facility. He clearly chooses to single himself out as a victim, and I see no chance for recuperation unless his attitude takes a swift and sudden turn…."_

* * *

**Here is the latest chapter! **

**Now I know that Ive put some of your panties in a twist over what's keeping our little Eddie in jail, but don't get cocky...you don't know the whole story yet. **

**And I know we are dying for these two meet, and yes, in the next chapter I promise we all will finally get our wish. **

**Leave me a review, they make me happy;)**

**BPOV cont. next!**

**Check out my profile to see pics of Bella's car, her navy shirt she wore to her first day, her emerald pendant, and Rose!**

_I don't own Twilight or any of it's characters. All copyright claim goes to Stephanie Meyer. _


	5. Chapter Four--Hey There

Chapter Four:

"Ma'am, I mean no disrespect, but I have whitey-tighteys older than you."

Bella folded her arms back.

"Is that so? It's my understanding that 'whitey-tighteys', aren't standard Pen clothing."

"I have my ways."

"The code boxer briefs not your style?"

He leaned forward. "I guess I just like to know where things are below the belt, if you know what I mean." He sat back with a smug grin.

She nodded. "I don't doubt it Johnny, these days they must be hanging pretty low."

The guard in the back of the room snorted.

Johnny glared. "They work. That's all that matters."

Bella shrugged, and took a sip of her earl grey tea. "For now. I can't imagine they'll last longer than a couple more years being suffocated."

Bella wasn't scared of confrontation. If that was what Johnny wanted, she'd happily give it to him.

He rubbed his 5 o'clock shadow with his middle finger. "You're different from the last shrink they shoved in here."

"I should hope so."

"Got a lot bigger balls then her."

"Not as big as yours."

His lip twitched in amusement. "Kiss up though."

It was Bella's turn to smile. "Oh, I wouldn't say that."

"No?"

"No." She reached into her briefcase, and with a thud, slapped Johnny Mackson's folder in front of him. "You ever seen your own file Johnny? It's pretty extensive."

He held up his cuffed hands. "A little hard to turn the pages."

She flipped it open.

The guard stepped forward, hand outstretched. "Miss…"

Bella just waved him off. "His weapon of choice is bleach. I think I'm safe."

Johnny kept his eyes on Bella. "I wouldn't need it to kill you."

She heard the guard try to move closer, but she turned in her chair towards him.

He was a nice young man, and Bella felt truly safe in his presence. But this whole jumpy business wasn't going to cut it.

"Paul, he is a murderer. That's why he's here. He is going to talk crap. He's handcuffed, and strapped to a steel chair. I'm good."She turned back to Johnny.

"And stop deliberately trying to give my protection an aneurism."

Johnny held up his wrinkled hands.

For a man at seventy-seven, he was in remarkable shape. His tan skin was stretched back against prominent cheekbones, and his dark eyes had the same audacity and spark they were born with. His body, was lean and strong, although scarred from years of hard work in what Bella had found to be, a corn field.

"I try to get my fun where I can these days."

He was the first of her ten that she was meeting. The other thirty-two, she had met in a brief five minute interview, and quickly jotted what kind of team member they would need.

She gestured back to the papers. "Look's like you also got fun spiking water supplies. You're a good plumber Johnny, making sure only the people you wanted died."

His sparkling eyes suddenly went dull. "I've had a lot of practice."

Bella, she knew, was being direct and forward with Mackshon, not giving him any lee-way. She wasn't looking for any soul searching today. All she wanted was for him to see that she wasn't afraid, and that she would match him wit for wit. In this room, it was essential they were equals.

She flipped to the crime scene photos.

Mackshon became tense, and jerked his head away.

"Put those away." He growled.

Bella turned them towards herself. "Why? It's you're handiwork Johnny. Aren't you proud?"

He slowly turned back to look at her.

"It's been years since then you little cunt."

Bella shut the folder. "Cunt? Why, before I was ma'am. How bad things have turned…" She tsked.

He rose the inch that he could from the chair. "Don't you patronize me. You may know how, but you don't know why. You know zip kid."

She rose up, free and without restraints, she towered over him. "I know you killed. I know that someone's life is gone because of whatever your 'why' is." She got nose to nose with the old man.

His eyes pierced right into hers, his Cherokee passion burning.

Bella continued. "These meetings, we're gonna have them for a while. And I'm going to show you these pictures everyday. Everyday you're going to deal with this. It may have been years, but you still haven't accepted what you did."

She sat back down.

She could almost sense Paul in the corner vibrating with the need to push Johnny back into his seat.

"I'm not going to take this from you. You're a little girl! Nothing more."

Bella put his folder back into her bag.

"I'm the little girl who you're going to be spending every Monday, Thursday, and Friday with, for the foreseeable future. I'm the little girl who doesn't back down to mood swings, yelling, threats, or vulgarity."

Slowly, he sat back into his seat. Now that the photos were safely tucked away, he was calm.

He paused a moment.

"You're not going to take notes? That was pretty big red flag am I right?"

Bella shook her head.

"I don't believe in notes. I listen."

The clock buzzed on her phone, and she turned it off.

"That's our time Johnny. Is there anything else you need to say?"

Paul came from his spot, and un-chained Johnny from the chair.

"I'd like some of those boxers."

Bella smiled. "I'll let them know. Goodbye Johnny."

When the door closed behind him, Bella rubbed her temples.

She had read in Mackshon's file that he had a hot temper and was severely bi-polar.

At least that was one thing the old counselor got right.

When Paul re-entered, he took the seat opposite her.

"Well, that was a quick one."

She smiled wearily and dropped her hands.

"He's going to spend the next four hours analyzing everything that I said. I should get overtime for how long I'll be poking around in his brain."

As Paul chuckled, Bella glanced at her clock. She had talked to Harry, and decided that after meeting all the inmates, she would really only have energy for two of her own set.

The next on her list was Edward.

"You certainly do a whole hell of a lot more than the last lady."

Bella got out of her own thoughts and ran her fingers through her hair.

"You want me to get the next guy? It's almost lights out. You've got an hour."

She nodded. "Sure. And Paul?

As he scooted away from the table he paused to look back at her.

"With this one, I'm going to need you to stay behind the door."

"But ma'am-"

"It's Bella."

He sighed. "Bella, this is seriously against protocol, if Harry knew…"

"Harry hired me. He knows I'm unorthodox. If he comes down with a hammer, I'll take the hit. After all, it's my license on the line."

Paul bit his lip, nodded, and went to let Edward in.

Bella's stomach growled. She reached into her suitcase, grabbed a soda and half of a sub from lunch and laid it out in front of her.

When the door opened this time, she didn't immediately look up.

"Thank you, Paul. Mr. Cullen, please take a seat."

She tore open the bag, as she heard the door close and footsteps approach. Reaching in the bag, she drew it out, and with a packet of mayo, smeared it on the bun.

She heard him sit down, and felt eyes on her.

She wiped her hands on her jeans, and looked up.

Wow.

He watched her with unmoving amber eyes. His picture, really had not done him justice. His straight nose pointed down to a perfect pair of lips, which were held in a small frown.

Bella, ever the trained professional, didn't let her emotions cascade over her face.

"Mr. Cullen. I won't say 'thanks for seeing me', because we both know you didn't choose."

He lifted an eyebrow, he looked…surprised…worried.

Her stomach was in butterflies looking at him. She felt herself hold down a blush as she flicked open her can of sprite.

"Please excuse this," she waved to her food, "late dinner I guess."

He just stared.

"I know from checking the kitchen menu, that you're dinner was macaroni and cheese. And if it's anything like the mac-and-cheese I had at my internship at Cascade, well, I wouldn't feed that to my cat. Here." She ripped the sandwich in half, and scooted it across the table.

His eyes moved from her face, to the sandwich, and back.

God he was gorgeous.

"Go ahead, eat. I will." Proving it, she took a bite.

Slowly, he reached down with his joined hands and took his half.

"Now Mr. Cullen, I've read your file. I know what your charged of, and I know you're a, for all intensive purposes, mute."

He took a slow bite.

"And I respect that decision. Now what I need to know is, are you against other means of communication. For example, if I ask you a question, will you nod?"

His brows furrowed.

She had worked with a mute once before for her undergraduate research project. He had refused all types of communication entirely, all he would do was blankly stare. His eyes were vacant. But not Mr. Cullen's . They were serious, heated, and made her want to squirm in her seat.

After a moment, he nodded.

She smiled. "Fantastic. What about writing? Are you comfortable with that?"

He shrugged, taking another bite.

"I see." She pulled out a pen, and a paper for him. "I don't want you to feel like you have to. But if you want to tell me something, this is always a way."

She ate the last of her sub. After dusting herself off, she licked her lips and leaned forward.

"I want you to feel safe here. I want you to learn to trust me."

He swallowed his mouthful, with now empty hands.

She leaned back.

"That's why I asked Paul to step out. Because this is between you and me. No one else. I'm not recording this session like the previous counselor. And Mr. Cullen?"She cracked her knuckles. "I am so sorry you had to endure that insufferable woman, even looking through her notes now…" She shuddered. "Let's just say I'm glad you aren't having to be with her anymore."

His lips curved gently.

Holy-crap-balls.

"Also, I have some news for you. You're Grandmother and Grandfather, Rosalie and Emmett,"

His eyes widened slightly at their names, in alarm.

She quickly held up her hands. "Oh, no, no, they're fine! Don't worry!"

He relaxed a little.

"No, they just live close by. They told me they were coming to see you soon."

His eyes were questioning.

"I wasn't spying on them or anything, they live two floors down. With that loveable blob of fur Rose."

He gave her a small, dazzling smile.

"They are good people, really. You're very lucky to have them."

He nodded in agreement.

"Anyway, this is the point where I'd ask you for any questions, about me, about you're family, I mean, I just met them, but hey, I'll answer with what I got."

He looked at the pen, in an almost pained manor. Like he wanted to throw it across the room.

Sensing his distress, she smiled at him comfortingly. "Hey, no pressure remember? My only expectation in here, is that you think about what I'm saying. And besides, I've been chatting your ear off."

He chewed on his lip, and shook his head.

"No? I haven't been talking you to death?" Bella guessed.

He shook his head again.

"Well, you're the first. Would you like me to talk?"

This time a hesitant nod.

"Well, okay." She kicked off her shoes, and drew her knees up to her chest. "My full name is Isabella Marie Swan. I came down here after I got a letter from Mr. Harrison letting me know he was in the market for a new lead. I was so excited. Working with him, well it's been a dream of mine. He's got some excellent papers on-" Bella stopped herself, casting an apologetic smile his way. "Sorry, psych-nerd moment. Anyway you don't care about work stuff. Let's see…my favorite color changes day to day, I'm thinking today its gold…my favorite food, well, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I make a mean grilled cheese."

He raised his eyebrows.

"Oh yeah. Don't look so surprised. Perfect everytime."

Bella heard Edward's stomach rumble loudly.

"Holy cow. Are you hungry or what?" She laughed.

Edward looked into his hands, almost embarrassed.

"Is the food here really that bad?"

He snorted, and nodded without looking up.

"Tell you what. How about you and me have dinner here?" At his incredulous eyes she laughed again. "Yeah, why the hell not? I'll bring you leftovers and you and I will eat together."

He looked hopeful.

"Yeah?"

Edward looked up from his hands and nodded into his chest, still timid.

"Awesome."

Bella was excited. For some reason, Edward Cullen seemed like he needed the companionship. And hell, she was enough of a hermit to not have plans.

Edwards's fingers underneath the table were drumming against his knee. He glanced to the clock on the wall.

"What? Anxious to leave so soon?"

He looked back at Bella. His eyes were fierce and hard. Almost…pleading?

"Mr. Cullen, is there something wrong?"

He rubbed his eyelid with his forefinger. Scratching a little too roughly.

"Edward." She reached out over the table and held out her hand.

He stopped moving, and just looked at her open palm.

"I'm here for you."

There was a few seconds in which nothing happened. Bella, for some odd reason, desperately wanted to touch the convict's hand. She wanted to make him feel better.

As if the handcuffs were weighing him down, he drug his hands up, and set just the tips of his fingers on hers.

"What is it? Is it something about tonight?"

* * *

**Oh my b-jeezus. Is Edward going to tell Bella? **

**Oooh the suspense...I'm horrible:)**

**Hope you liked the chapter. Leave me reviews, love 'em to death. **

_I don't own Twilight or any of it's characters. All copyright claim goes to Stephanie Meyer. _


	6. Chapter Five--Options

Chapter Five:

He walked in to meet his new counselor with a mixture of anxiousness and intense worry. What if she expected him to talk? What if she wanted him to open up? It would almost be easier to just have another uninterested and ignoring mentor.

But neither, he had found, was the case.

The moment he had entered the room, he had kept his eyes low, only raising them when he heard a silky voice dismiss his guard.

A guard he was ashamed to admit, he had never bothered to introduce himself too.

Surprised, and a little shocked, his eyes snapped up to the woman unwrapping half of a subway foot long.

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Her eyes, the color of milk chocolate, were round and gentle as she kept her face tilted down. Her skin reminded him of pearls, and the clusters of wild waves around her face kept him waiting to breathe.

Willing himself to move, he took a seat.

_"Mr. Cullen. I won't say 'thanks for seeing me' because we both know you didn't choose."_

_When she looked up at him, he wanted to reach out and grab her. The feeling scared him. _

_She apologized for her dinner, and spoke of empathy for his. When she handed him half of her own food, he was more than a little confused. _

_Was this a peace offering? To draw him into a false sense of security just to demand questions he couldn't answer?_

_She took a bite, as if trying to say 'Don't be afraid."_

Slowly, he reached out and took it, feeling his insides ache in hunger.

The rations they served were smaller than average, due to having to compensate for such a large influx of new prisoners each year. The result was a always half empty stomach.

She told him that she had read his file.

He figured as much. All counselors had access to prison records, although…his old counselor never took more than a fleeting glance at it.

When she followed that by telling him she respected his choice to be silent, and asked if he would nod to her questions he was surprised to say the least.

Such a simple request, yet, not one person had ever thought of it before. Sure, he had stayed to himself most of the time, but everyone generally just rolled their eyes or flung their hands up in the air after he didn't continue a conversation.

But not her.

She was different.

He nodded.

It felt strange. As if just the act of moving one's neck required a huge amount of effort. Already he felt tired.

She smiled. "Fantastic. What about writing? Are you comfortable with that?"

He shrugged, taking another bite.

It wasn't that he didn't like to, it was just he had never tried.

"I see." She pulled out a pen and a paper for him. "I don't want you to feel like you have to. But if you want to tell me something, this is always a way…I want you to feel safe here. I want you to learn to trust me."

Trust her? Coming from anyone else that seemed an impossible request. But from her, it seemed natural. He wanted to let her in.

"That's why I asked Paul to step out. Because this is between you and one else. I'm not recording this session like the previous counselor. And Mr. Cullen?"She cracked her knuckles. "I am so sorry you had to endure that insufferable woman, even looking through her notes now…" She shuddered. "Let's just say I'm glad you aren't having to be with her anymore."

He smiled.

He was glad too.

"Also, I have some news for you. You're Grandmother and Grandfather, Rosalie and Emmett,"

He suddenly tensed. If something had happened…

"Oh, no, no, they're fine! Don't worry!"

He relaxed a little. The relief washing over him in a great wave.

They were his only family. They were everything to him.

"No, they just live close by. They told me they were coming to see you soon."

How had she known that? Had she been checking up on his family? There was a line, and she was getting close to crossing it.

"I wasn't spying on them or anything, they live two floors down. With that loveable blob of fur Rose."

Almost reading his mind, he laughed inwardly at his stupidity. She didn't care about him in that way. This was all a charade she had learned in school, and even though he knew that, it didn't change his new feelings.

At the mention of Rose, his spirits lifted.

He loved that dog. Her slobbery smile, her big floppy ears, she represented what he wanted when he left the Pen. A normal home.

"They are good people, really. You're very lucky to have them."

He nodded in agreement.

"Anyway, this is the point where I'd ask you for any questions, about me, about you're family, I mean, I just met them, but hey, I'll answer with what I got."

Edward felt the expectations on his shoulders crush him. The pen seemed to be daunting him.

She smiled at him. "Hey, no pressure remember? My only expectation in here, is that you think about what I'm saying. And besides, I've been chatting your ear off."

Without thinking, he shook his head.

"No? I haven't been talking you to death?"

He shook his head again.

Quite the opposite words, although a little scary, warmed his insides. He liked hearing her voice.

"Well, you're the first. Would you like me to talk?"

He wanted distraction. He wanted to forget that in a few hours, Laurent would come, and his world would shatter again.

"Well, okay." She kicked off her shoes, and drew her knees up to her chest. "My full name is Isabella Marie Swan. I came down here after I got a letter from Mr. Harrison letting me know he was in the market for a new lead. I was so excited. Working with him, well it's been a dream of mine. He's got some excellent papers on-" Bella stopped herself, casting an apologetic smile his way. "Sorry, psych-nerd moment. Anyway you don't care about work stuff. Let's see…my favorite color changes day to day, I'm thinking today its gold…my favorite food, well, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I make a mean grilled cheese."

He was surprised at that. This wasn't normal counselor behavior. Sure, you were supposed to make the patient feel at ease, but surely you weren't supposed to open up like that. Give information for them to grab onto.

"Oh yeah. Don't look so surprised. Perfect every time."

Bella heard Edward's stomach rumble loudly.

Fuck.

"Holy cow. Are you hungry or what?" She laughed.

Edward looked into his hands, a little thrown off by the sudden punch of hunger into his belly.

"Is the food here really that bad?"

What kind of question was that? This was prison. Not the Bellagio.

"Tell you what. How about you and me have dinner here?"

For the umpteenth time she surprised him.

She laughed, and the sound reminded him of wind chimes. "Yeah, why the hell not? I'll bring you leftovers and you and I will eat together."

A real homemade menu?Real food? His mouth was watering.

"Yeah?"

Edward looked up from his hands and nodded into his chest, unsure of why she was being this, well…nice.

"Awesome."

He heard a footstep outside of the door and looked to the clock.

Oh no.

The time, it was running too fast. Any minute now Paul would take him to his cell, and it would start.

"What? Anxious to leave so soon?"

No. God no. He would give anything to be with her longer. She needed to know that. His throat tingled with the need to speak, to ask to stay.

"Mr. Cullen, is there something wrong?"

God, what would he do this time? Jasper had said to just let it happen, but how? How could he let himself, and the people around him get tortured? Was he less of a man because he wanted to run, afraid of his actions?

"Edward." She reached out over the table and offered him her hand

He stopped thinking, and just looked at her open palm.

The small delicate fingers reached for his.

He should get out. He should leave her and this place, before he began to depend on her.

"I'm here for you."

He looked from her hand to her face.

Her eyes were big and clear. Not swimming in pity or simple politeness, but in genuine concern.

There was a few seconds in which nothing happened.

Without giving himself permission, he drug his hands up, and set just the tips of his fingers on hers.

Under his bigger fingers, he felt the softest skin caress his.

"What is it? Is it something about tonight?"

How could she read him that well?

She moved her fingers under his, and clutched the entirety of his hands.

The door opened behind them.

"Miss Swan, Mr. Harrison is outside, says he needs to speak with you."

She kept her eyes on his, and Edward felt himself try to move away, as if the cloud of privacy had just dissolved from the air, leaving him open and naked.

He didn't mind having her see him like that, just not anyone else.

She gripped on his hands, keeping them in place. "Tell Mr. Harrison that I'm busy."

Her brisk tone left no room for debate, and Paul silently just slunk back to his position.

"Edward. I'm going to trust you on this. If you tell me to let you go now, I will. No questions asked."

Those eyes…

An alarm sounded, signaling lights out time in five minutes.

The worry made his hair stand on end, but the warm hands covering his made him almost believe she could stop it all, that she was more powerful then any guard.

The door opened once again, and this time it was Mr. Harrison, batting away an anxious Paul.

"Miss. Swan, we have a situation that needs your immediate attention."

Edward saw the anger rise in the back of her eyes.

"Mr. Harrison, is this patient a danger to himself or his surroundings?"

"Miss. Swan, I wasn't asking."

She lifted an elegant brow, and Edward felt the odd urge to stand up for her.

"Mr. Harrison, you have triple the years on me. Whatever the situation is, I'm sure it's within your capabilities. Now, please give me privacy."

Edward, facing away from the door and towards Bella, didn't see the color rise in Harrison's face as he slammed the door behind him.

She looked back at Edward, zoned in.

"Whatever is bothering you, I'm guessing it has something to do with your current sleeping accommodations. I can request isolation for 72 hours if you think that will help."

The light in the small room was dark and musky, yet it seemed to make her pale skin glow in a warm hum. Was she going to save him? Would Laurent really be out maneuvered by a small little brunette?

She was watching him now, waiting for a signal.

He gripped back on her hands.

She searched his eyes, and after a small eternity, nodded.

"I have to get you into your cell now, but I'll see you tomorrow okay?"

His hands remained tight under hers. He didn't want to leave.

She rose, and their fingers fell apart.

He thought he saw Bella flex her fingers slightly.

"Hold on a sec."

She reached into her bag and pulled out a small journal made of leather.

"I cleared this with security. If you ever feel like talking to me when I'm not with you, I can read that. When you're ready."

He took the book from her hands. No one had ever given him a gift like this. Told him that even when he was alone, they cared about him.

He was both humbled and in awe.

* * *

**Here it is! It's a little shorter then usual, but since the next chapter is going to be such a monster...**

**Shout out to my awesome new Beta "A. Santiago" (Hope I spelled that right), thanks for joining the IWBD team!**

**To my lovely readers, leave me reviews, they make me happy. (and you might want to prepare yourself for the huge-ness that is Bella's POV)**

**Ta-Ta!**


	7. Chapter Six--Grief

Chapter Six:

When their fingers parted, she almost felt an instant twinge of regret. She didn't understand why, but her mind was screaming to grab on and never let go.

The session, had started out casual, but had ended passionately. By the end, she desperately wanted to protect the man in front of her.

At one point she even cut-off Harry, which she would have to deal with later.

As Mr. Cullen left the room, she made the call to switch him to isolation, and sank back down into the uncomfortable chair.

This was so unlike her. She was calm, collected. Always the polite, nice one everyone remembered by first name. Her clients were different though. She always opened up a little to them, believing sharing is what built trust.

But with him, she had shattered the wall and let him see the truth behind her brown eyes in a way, she maintained, no one had ever seen her.

Paul came back in, bid her goodnight, and walked her to her car.

She was running on auto pilot now. So many thoughts swirled in her head.

What was keeping him from returning to his cell? Why did he grip her hands as if his own life was in her possession?

She went through the two gates without ever really seeing the road, and after a small wave from Obi and Mike, she started towards home.

Home.

Tonight she was meeting Mr. Cullen's grandparents for coffee.

She revved the engine.

There were so many things she wanted to ask them.

She ran three stop signs, and swiveled into a parking spot half-hazardly. Climbing the stairs two at a time, she gained way towards Rosalie and Emmett's.

When she sprinted down the hallway, her adrenaline was up, and she knocked on the door the standard three times, trying not to do more.

The door opened, and Rosalie stood behind the crack.

"Oh hello, Bella. My you look like a sight."

Bella was bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"I bet. Can I come in?"She skipped all the small talk, not wanting to waste time.

The door opened a few more inches, and she saw Emmett behind her.

"So you met Eddie huh?"

"Yes."

"Rosie, open the god-damn door and let her in before she has a panic attack on our welcome mat."

Rosalie blushed, a little embarrassed, and widened the door so Bella could pass.

The moment her feet crossed the threshold, Bella's heart stopped hammering, and instead, her whole body went into what Jacob had always called, "her sponge mode." She was taking everything in, not missing a single detail.

Emmett was wearing an old Florida Gators sweatshirt, tucked into faded jeans. His frame was huge, and Bella held back the urge to ask just how tall the man was.

Rosalie, on the other hand, was only a few inches taller than Bella, and had the air of a woman who had seen it all, and snorted at it.

Today she was wearing a different bath robe, the color of mud, and fluffy enough to drown the woman's small neck.

Their apartment itself was cluttered with pictures. From the floor to the ceiling, the walls were covered with photos.

Seeing Bella looking at them, Rose put her arm around Bella's shoulders. "They are all mine. Back in the day, I wasn't a half bad photographer. That's before I became blind as a mole in sunlight though."

She saw a picture of Edward.

"Mrs. Cullen, I don't mean to be frank, but..."

"But you've got questions. I know it sweetie; they are pounding around in that pretty little head of yours."

She led them to an overstuffed couch, and plopped them both down, facing towards the windows out looking the trees below.

Emmett came over with the coffee, and three maple bars.

"My specialty." He smiled as he handed Bella hers.

He sat across from them, on what was very obviously _his _armchair.

"Go ahead. Let's hear 'em then. Nothing gives me more joy then talking about little Eddie."

Bella took a sip of her coffee, and sifted her mind.

"Okay. Well, I've read his file, and if it's not too much to ask, I'd like you to fill in the holes for me."

"Before we do," Rosalie paused, "From meeting him, from seeing him, do you think he's guilty? Honestly now."

Bella didn't hesitate.

"No."

Emmett chuckled.

"Well I mean, I obviously don't know him very well, but I just, well I just couldn't imagine him doing what the papers say."

"What do the papers say?" Rosalie asked.

Rose, padded in, and after sniffing Bella's plate, plopped down at her feet.

"I can't reveal that information."

"Sweetie, we are his first of kin."

"What about his father?"

Emmett piped up. "Dead."

Bella ran a hand through her hair. "It says that Mr. Cullen was found holding the remains of his mother in his residence. Blood loss was likely the COD, and was most likely stemmed from the deep lacerations on her neck and wrists."

Rosalie nodded grimly. "That would be our daughter-in-law."

Emmett grimaced. "It seems so...impersonal. Like she was some stray cat they found on the side of the road."

Bella nodded sympathetically. "It's the law. It's designed to keep emotions at bay."

Rosalie used her free hand to rub her eyes. "But its emotion that runs us. How are we supposed to live by a law that is void of it?"

Bella had no answer for her.

"Rosie, why don't you take Rose out for a little walk?"

Rosalie murmured something, and towed Rose to the door. Once the lock clicked, Emmett got up and took Rosalie's place on the couch.

"This is the hard part for her. That's why I'm going to fill you in. But it's with the strictest confidence that this information will only be used in helping my grandson."

His eyes watched hers in much the same way she had looked at Edward not an hour ago.

"I understand."

"Good. Now, this is the testimony Ed gave me before he stopped talking to anyone. Including me."

He took a swig of his coffee and cracked his knuckles.

"Edward has always been a good kid. Got good grades, and for the most part, kept his room clean as it were. That means no criminal record, no jail time, not even a school discipline record.

He lived with his Dad, my son, and his mother. Esme and Carlisle. Carlisle, unfortunately, didn't give Edward his good habits. He was a doctor, a doctor who took advantage of his status, by selling prescriptions to low lifes for double the shelf price.

His mother though, she was a good woman. She was a nail-tech for most of her life, and brought in most of the bacon since Car would just spend it all on booze and loose women."

Emmett took a bite of his doughnut, and continued.

"I'm telling you all this because it's going to fill in the blanks later.

On the day that Esme was murdered, she was trying to leave Car. She had gone to Ed's house, and was waiting for him to come back from work.

At that time he was a sub for elementary kids.

Anyway, when he got home, Car and Esme were fighting. Car smelled like one-to-many shots of whatever the fuck he had been drinking, and was beating the daylights out of Esme. Before he could step in, Car grabbed a knife from the kitchen, and sliced her neck. Esme tried to fight him off, and that's how the cuts on the wrist happened.

When Car realized what he had done, he freaked, dropped the knife, and bolted. Ed tried to help, but it was already too late."

Bella wasn't breathing.

"That's what he told me."

A small tear rolled down Bella's cheek.

"Aw, kid. Come on now. It was a long time ago. Eddie was seventeen. Now he's a grown man."

"His papers...they didn't say his sentence time..."

"It was life. But we fought it. There's been another investigation into the case, and half-prints of Car's have been found. If Edward's good, he could be out in three months."

"Is there a mandatory bail?"

Emmett nodded.

"Sixty."

"Jesus. Can you afford it?"

He snorted.

"I didn't mean to..."

He just raiseda hand. "I know what you meant. And yes. The court is paying it, due to unlawful convictions."

So he was going to get out.

Bella's heart soared.

"But why is he-"

"Silent?" Emmett guessed. "I have no idea. He won't talk to us anymore. Just sits there like a zombie."

"What happened to his father? You said he passed?"

Emmet sighed. "Yeah, I did. He disappeared after that night. No one has seen him since. I told Rosie that because the idea of her son..."He shook his head. "She wouldn't be able to cope."

"Does she know everything?"

"No. Bella, because you're going to help my grandkid, I'm going to tell you this. You might need to help him. Rosalie's got lung cancer. It's spreading to her heart."

Bella gasped. The tears threatened to spill over again.

"Oh my God."

Emmett nodded, his eyes closed off from Bella. She could tell that if he opened up, he might break.

"She doesn't have too long. That's why I'm keeping all this from her. She doesn't need to- well, go, with this on her shoulders."

Bella took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

"Does Edward know?"

"No. He doesn't need too. Right now he needs to focus on staying clean so he can leave and come home."

She heard the door open again, and Rose pounded into the room, scarfing down Bella's untouched bar.

Rosalie gasped.

"Damn it, you stupid dog! I'm so sorry sweetie, I'll grab you a new one." She left for the kitchen.

Emmett leaned in closer. "Let's just keep what you learned between you and me. Just try to stay positive."

The rest of the night with them was quiet enough, but full of heart. Rosalie told Bella of Ed's childhood, his teen years, and even his romance life.

Bella now knew enough about Edward Cullen to write a book.

When she hugged them both a tired good night, she tried to smile through the clenching in the back of her throat.

The idea that Rosalie wouldn't see her grandson free...

"Goodnight sweetie, why don't you come again soon? Maybe this time for dinner?"

"Sure!" Bella croaked. "How's Thursday?"

"Perfect. See you then."

When the door closed, Bella slowly walked to the elevator.

Knowledge was a gift. That was always her policy. But tonight, it had been a death march.

Getting to her apartment in a haze, she opened the door, and without bothering to undress, she collapsed on her bed.

She cared about this man, and she would do everything she could to help him.

She slipped into a dreamless sleep, with Batty curled up under her arm.

The blackness calmed her, and was almost a welcome balm to the day. She needed a few hours of down time.

Unfortunately, her rest was short lived. She awoke at midnight to her cell phone ringing loudly in her pocket.

Groaning, and ignoring the pouting Batty, she sought her phone out and sleepily answered.

"Hello?" She mumbled into the receiver.

"Bells?"

"Jacob?" She rolled onto her stomach, and Batty stormed off in a huff.

"Bells, I need you."

"Jake?" As the clouds rolled out of her mind, she realized Jake's voice was cracked and hollow. "Jake, what's wrong? Jake?"

"I-I...I can't breathe."

She sat up. "Jake? I'm here. What's going on?"

"Dad..."

"Billy? Is he okay?"

"He, he's been in an accident."

She sprang to her feet. All the weariness left her body in a swift wave.

"Oh my God. How is he?"

"No..." Jake whispered.

She started towards the door. "Where are you? Jake, tell me where you are."

"I...I don't know."

"What's around you? I'll come get you."

"Trees. I think...I think I'm in a forest..."

Bella searched her mind...GPS! "Jake, turn on your GPS, and send me the signal. I'll be there in five."

She shut her phone off, and bolted down the hall.

She didn't care if he was in Texas; she was going to be there in five.

Scrambling into her car, she saw the signal on her phone.

He was in the middle of Olympic National Park.

Okay, okay.

She peeled out of the garage, and sped onto the freeway.

Billy.

No, no. She couldn't allow herself to think.

She sped at least fifty past the speed limit, and after making sure to follow the GPS, she spun into the forest.

Slamming on the brakes when she got close to his location, she climbed out of the car, and started yelling.

"Jake?!"

The forest was black, and the trees surrounding her looked like giant shadows, watching her below.

No answer.

She picked up her phone, and called him.

Close to her right, she heard a phone buzz.

She ran towards the sound, and tripped over a large warm body.

Falling beside him, she immediately sprang to her knees, and rolled him over.

"Oh, Jake."

His face was broken. Absolutely destroyed.

She held him to her, letting him clutch at her franticly.

"Bella, Bella, he's… he's..."

"Shhh..."

There they lay, on the forest floor, with God knows what around them, holding each other.

Now that she had Jake, she let herself feel.

Billy was gone. The man that had helped her through college, the man that had been at her side at her father's funeral, was dead.

Tears ran down her face, as she buried into Jacob.

They stayed like that for a small century, when Bella finally came to her senses.

Jacob, exhausted, and beyond caring, was falling asleep.

"Jake, come on, get up."

She pulled out of his arms, and tugged on his wrist.

"For me, please, Jake, get up for me."

He let her tow him up, and she wrapped his arm around her neck, leading him towards the car.

She got him situated, and fell in beside him.

When she turned on her car, he fell into her side, and snuggled into her neck.

She had only ever seen him like this once before. When his sister and mother had gotten killed. at a gas station shooting, two years back.

There was nothing romantic between them; it was just the deep sense of belonging and friendship that came with knowing and counting on someone for your whole life.

She drove much slower this time. When she finally got into her lot, she whispered in his ear she would be right back and hopped out.

She made her way to her apartment, where once inside, she made her bed for the first time. She lifted a large puffy green comforter over it, but then quickly stopped short, and instead exchanged it for her old batman blanket.

Now was the time for comfort.

She went back down to her car, retrieved the almost incapacitated Jacob, and took the elevator up. When the doors opened, she went back into her open apartment. Batty waited for them, and at the sight of Jacob, mewed happily.

Jacob was too far gone to notice.

As soon as they got to the bed, he tripped over his feet, and fell onto the mattress, dead asleep. She took off his shoes, his socks, and his jacket.

Looking at the clock, she saw it was two in the morning. Work started at seven today. She set the alarm on her phone for six, and curled beside him.

They slept like that for the remainder of the night. Neither one of them moved, stirred, or even snored. This time, Bella did dream.

_She was in a room. The walls were covered in empty picture frames, and each one was white, bleaching against the gray paint behind them. _

_They were on the floor, on the ceiling... everywhere. She searched for a door, or a window, but all that was there were the empty frames. _

_The dullness hurt her eyes, and she cowered against the corner of the room. She tried to close her eyes, but something wouldn't let her. _

"_Save me." _

_The frame underneath her foot vibrated, and she stepped back with a shriek. In one of the smaller frames, a woman's face appeared. _

_She instantly recognized it from Emmet and Rosalie's apartment. _

_Esme._

"_Save him."_

_All the other picture frames started vibrating. Each of Edward's profile. Some were just the color of his eyes; others held the arch of his lips, all to close for a stranger to recognize. But for her, there was no mistaking. _

_The buzzing got louder. _

"_Save us."_

_She tried to pull the frames off the wall, but they wouldn't budge. _

_The buzzing was so loud, too much to handle. Her ears rang and she tried to raise her hands, but they too wouldn't obey her. _

"_No!" The woman's scream echoed around the room. The walls were coming closer. _

"_You must see us! You must hear us! Don't block us out! Save us! Save him!"_

_Bella's eyes were beginning to dry out, and it was all she could do not to scream from the pain. _

_Suddenly, the chaos stopped, and all the frames fell to the floor in a crash of metal and wood. _

_She ducked, waiting for the impact of the ones from above, when a large hand grabbed her, and pulled her out of the room. _

_He was big, and felt safe. She hugged onto him tight, and waited as the door was slammed shut. _

_She had searched for a door, why hadn't she found it? _

"_Shhhh...Bella...my Bella..."_

_She sobbed into his shirt. Orange. His shirt was orange. _

_No, this wasn't right. _

_She looked up, and saw Edward's loving face looking down at her. _

_Suddenly two other pairs of arms grabbed her. _

"_Hey!" She screamed, clawing at the attackers. _

_Where was she?_

_It was cold, and smelled of rock. _

_A cell._

_The moment the thought crashed through her mind, bars made of steel slammed down into the floor right at her toes. _

_She scampered back. _

"_Bella..." _

_She desperately looked up at Edward. _

_His lips weren't moving. The voice was in her head. She was the only one who could hear him. _

"_Stand back ma'am, he's dangerous."_

_The arms pulled her back towards the door with the frames. _

"_No! Edward!"_

* * *

**Oh crap. **

***Hides behind computer***

**Don't kill me. Come on guys...**

***Comes out with hands above head***

**Okay, okay, I know you're all pissed at me about Rosalie, but well...it's just part of the story guys:/**

**Don't hate on me. **

**So, if you can still stand me, leave me a review about all this new stuff!**

**Thanks! Love you guys!**

***Runs back behind computer***

**(P.S. Jacob is her best friend in this story. She has no romantic feelings towards him. Trust me. I would know.)**


	8. Chapter Seven--Well, Alright

Chapter Seven:

_**EPOV:**_

He sat on his cot, legs stretched out, head leaning back against the wall. If there had been a window in his cell, he would have seen that the night was black, and the sky glittered with stars.

But as it was, all he saw was the bleak gray of a darkened room.

So this was isolation.

The cell was similar to his usual one, the twin size mattress underneath him was beaten down into a useless, flat, squeaky pad. The metal toilet was in the corner, and faced the closed door separating Edward from the hall.

The silence was deafening, and sometimes he found himself shifting, just to hear his bed groan.

He'd give anything for his piano.

Two months, that was all he needed.

When he got the call from the court appointed lawyer, telling him that his father's prints had been found on the blade of the knife, he had nearly thrown the phone against the thick Plexiglas. Partly from the frustration that had threatened to choke him over the years.

He had been locked up for five years. Five years of his life had been gone, simply because he wouldn't..couldn't… defend himself.

Sure, he'd been able to tell Emmett the truth, but that was before the court proceedings had started. Once the law started the investigation, he found that his voice was starting to slip away.

If there was one thing he wished he could communicate to everyone else, it would be that he wasn't choosing his silence. Something was stopping him.

His fingers drummed against his thigh, playing out one of his favorites.

The piano notes filled his head, and slowly he began to drift.

He didn't feel the scratchy orange pullover, or the uncomfortably cold room…he felt…almost soft. Edward's eyes began to shut, and in the last second of consciousness, he played the last notes of the chorus.

_Mmm…_

_Someone was breathing on the back of his neck. The sheets around him were glowing white, and were fluttering gently in the breeze from the open window. _

_Two small hands wrapped around his waist, making his muscles clench with pleasure. He reached down, and placed his hands over the delicate fingers tracing his belly button. _

_He felt the body behind him rise up, to kiss his ear gently. _

_He felt safe. Warm. _

_Turning, almost in slow motion, he closed his eyes, and sought out the face he knew must belong to an angel. _

_He heard a small laugh, and a silky pair of lips closed over his, in a tender kiss. _

"_Bella…"_

_She ran her nails down his neck, making him shiver, snuggling closer. _

"_Edward…"She whispered._

_He wanted to get closer._

"_Edward…" _

_He crushed his lips against hers when she drew back._

"_Edward…" She gasped into his mouth. _

"Edward! Get up."

His eyes flew open.

Damn it. It seemed like he had just shut his eyes. What time was it?

He looked up at the deep voice, so unlike the one in his head.

"It's noon."

If he could have spoken, he would have told the guard to fuck off. But, seeing how that wasn't going to happen, he simply stared.

"You have a meeting with the BRI."

Damn. He had completely forgotten. The last thing he wanted to do right now was talk to them.

The Board of Re-Integration, was in charge of assessing the safety and sanity of prisoners who were soon to be released.

"Come on, put your hands through the slot, and turn around."

Edward got to his feet, and after stretching his arms above his head, running his fingers through his hair, he did what the guard asked.

He felt the cold cuffs on his wrists, and resisted the urge to fight against the restraints. He had always hated the feeling of steel against his skin.

"Alright."

The door slid open, and Edward was led out of his cell.

As he walked out, his muscles began to ache. How long had been sleeping? Usually, he was a pretty deep sleeper, but it struck him as odd, that he had stayed in a sitting position throughout the night.

As he was led through corridor after corridor, he thought back to his dream.

It had been so lifelike. He had almost smelled the cotton sheets and the soft perfume of Bella's skin.

This was getting out of hand. He desperately needed to focus.

Ever since he had left his session yesterday, all he could think of was her face as she told him that she cared.

He saw a digital clock on the wall, and silently counted down the hours 'till he could see her again.

_**BPOV:**_

A huge arm was slung over her shoulders, and Bella sleepily peeked out from the mass of hair cocooning her face.

Awesome. Just great.

She pushed against the dead weight, but to no avail.

Her phone rang loudly, the song of the day echoing against the walls.

"_Mercy…Mercy…Why won't you release me? You got me begging you for mercy…"_

She laughed at the irony.

Jake heard the alarm slowly get louder, and rolled off Bella with a groan.

Once free, she scrambled for her pocket, and quickly flicked off the music.

At the quiet, she lay there for a second, assessing the situation. She had a big day of work today. She was meeting her team, the last of her ten, and having a late dinner with Edward.

She couldn't stay home with Jake.

"Jake?"

He mumbled something incoherent, and began the process of rolling over to tuck her back into his arm. In the beginning it had probably been for comfort, but now she thought it was probably just to ensure that she shut up.

Narrowly escaping, she rolled off the bed, and started towards the kitchen.

In her pocket, she heard a call come in.

"Hello?"

"Swan."

Crap. Crap, crap, crap.

She knew that Harry wasn't going to be happy with her after she dismissed him yesterday. But in her defense it was completely unprofessional, and frankly a little rude of him to barge in on her and a client. Just because they were prisoners, didn't give him the ability to ignore proper protocol.

"Harry."

"Since I don't believe in letting things fester, I'm gonna come right out and say it. Me butting into your session with Mr. Cullen wasn't correct of me, and I apologize."

She was taken aback.

"That's…quite alright Harry. What was the emergency?"

"There's been a arrest within the faculty."

"What?!"

"Yes. I don't believe you've had the pleasure of meeting the guard named Laurent Shaion?"

"No. I haven't."

"You're lucky. He is a sick son-of-a-bitch. The department has been collecting evidence of unruly conduct for years on him. Yesterday he was found beating a prisoner named Mendez to a bloody pulp in the old cinema room after lights out."

"Oh my god. Is he alright?"

"He's recuperating. Miss. Swan?"

"Yes?"

"When I hired you it was for the distinct purpose of keeping our most violent prisoners in check. But since all this has come to the service, I'm going to need you to speak to Mendez and a few other suspected victims."

"In addition to the ten?"

"No and yes. You're team has been expanded to eight people, not including you. Normally, I would continue with the plan for you to individually pick the most appropriate candidate for each inmate-"

"Sir." She interrupted. "I am not going to hand off these men to just any guy with psych major. These are killers, with serious issues that need to be dealt with."

"I understand that, but your time is better spent-"

"Helping people. Harry," She reasoned, "I'll spend overtime if I have to. I won't neglect my clients just because a new, bigger case rolled around."

She heard him sigh. "You're really set on this aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Well, I guess if you can handle the work load. But I will have to demand that you personally only take on five cases by yourself. No arguments. You can still sit in with the other counselors, meet with prisoners if you need too, but you won't be single-handedly taking on that many cases at once. You're too important to wear down."

She was reluctant, but saw no way around it.

"Agreed. But on one condition. I want to meet the ten, so I can hand them out. I'm already through two, I think I can get through three more today."

She heard grumbling. "Fine. And Swan, before I let you go, what is this request on my desk?"

"Oh, it's more of a notification. I'm setting up a daily meeting with Mr. Cullen for dinner. I cleared it with security last night."

"How in the hell you'd do that?! Whenever I want them to search through new shipments, it takes them three days to even look at it!"

Bella smiled, finally reaching for her mug to get coffee.

"You should try being polite. People respond to kindness."

"Ugh. You sound like a greeting card. See you, Swan."

"See 'ya Harry."

She turned off her phone, and poured herself a nice solid pick-me-up.

She understood the necessity to break up her ten. She really did. It was too much to counsel at once. If she really cared about them, she'd push her stupid stubborn head to the side, so they could get the best she could offer.

Briefly she wondered who she would pick.

Edward, obviously was staying on with her. She'd be damned if he got transferred.

But who else?

She walked back to the bedroom, only to see Jake sprawled on his stomach sleeping off the worst day of his life.

She felt heartbroken over Billy. He had really stepped up and been the mentor she needed. If it wasn't for him, she would have cried herself into oblivion.

And Jake, god how he had worshipped that man.

Not wanting to wake him, she padded over to her clothes box, and decided on a pair of dark jeans, a tan blazer, and dark blue tank. She tossed them over her arm, and after taking a final gulp of her coffee, she headed towards the bathroom to shower.

In record time she was dressed, and ready to leave.

She tried to ignore the painful splinter behind her lung that threatened to twist and make her double over, and instead, grabbed a paper and a pen.

_Jake-_

_I have to go to work. Believe me, I really don't want to today. Today, I want to sit at home with you, make some hot chocolate and let it all out. _

_But I can't. I know you're hurting, in a way that I can only empathize with but never truly understand. Take your time, there's no rush. You're welcome here as long as you need me. _

_I'm going to come home for lunch so we can talk. Don't worry. I'll bring something deep-fried and covered in sugar. _

_We'll get through this. We always do. _

_-Bells _

_(Txt me if you need me.)_

She folded the paper neatly, and set it on the pillow next to Jake's head.

With one last look around her, she left her apartment, and made her way to her second day at the Pen.

She already felt like it had been a year.

* * *

**Just a cute little in-between chapter;) The real fun starts very soon. And please, control your giddy laughter. I certainly won't:D **

**Who here is happy Laurent has been caught?**

**ME! ME!**

**But do we really think we are done with him? Let me know what you think in a review! Also, what do we think of the split POV's? Love or hate?**

**Love y'all;)**

**(Check out a Bella's outift, the bed Edward dreamt about, and the piano song our lover played in his head on my profile!)**

_**All copyright dues go to Stephanie Meyer.**_


	9. Chapter Eight--Unfair

Chapter Eight:

_**EPOV**_

"Mr. Cullen, please take a seat."

As Edward slowly sat on the wooden chair, still cuffed, the panel in front of him scanned through the thick files.

The woman who addressed him, was a tall, slender woman with dark eyes and a thinly veiled impatience in her small smile. The plate in front of her hands, which were clasped in front of her, read Ms. Merine.

"Thank you. I'd like to start the interview with a brief summary of the situation at hand."

She paused, looking toward Edward for permission. When he didn't reply, she pursed her lips and continued.

"We are here to discuss your re-entry into the public, after a lengthy incarceration for which you were wrongly determined to be the murderer of your mother."

He dug his nail into the bed of his palm. Whenever someone spoke of his mother, he got fiercely protective. They didn't know her, and in his mind, was in no place to speak about her.

"You have chosen a path of silence, which is, I'll be honest, what the Board is most concerned about. You see Mr. Cullen," She leaned back in her seat and rubbed her fingers tighter together. "You are a wildcard. I don't know you're psychological well being, and therefore, I don't know where your mind is after the tragedy you have suffered."

Almost on cue, a door opened in the corner of the room, and Bella stumbled out looking slightly disheveled and more than a little annoyed.

Edward felt his heart rise in his throat, and for some reason, felt the urge to rise in greeting.

Ms. Merine took a moment to glare at the intrusion, then with a shake of her shoulders, continue. "I don't want to put you in a situation you can't handle. Now I see in your file that you have little under two months left under the Pen, and I want to make the most of that time."

Bella took a seat a couple of feet from Edward, and he kept his eyes on her as she sat down next to him with a huff.

In her hands, she was holding several envelopes, each with a prominent inmates name emblazoned on the cover.

"Also, Mr. Cullen, it shows in your papers that only last night your new counselor-"

Bella raised her hand shortly. "Therapist."

Edward smiled.

Ms. Merine nodded tightly, "Excuse me, therapist, asked for a semi-permanent move into isolation. You can see why this would give us some worries."

Edward strangely didn't feel nervous about the turn of conversation. With Bella here, he felt safe.

"Miss. Swan, would you please tell the Board why you felt the need to transfer Mr. Cullen into a more secluded part of the facility."

Bella laughed, and Ms. Merine looked at her with a small shocked smile.

"Something funny Miss. Swan?"

Bella got to her feet, and in all her five feet, four inches, looked mad.

"Ms. Merine. I was called from another patient to come here. In the middle of a session, I was forced to come here on last notice. I did not even receive a notice via email or any other communication."

The room was silent in her pause.

"I will not give any type of answer for my actions, when I have not been given the courtesy to talk to Mr. Cullen. He is in isolation because I saw fit to do so in the situation I was presented with. He needed space, and therefore I gave it to him."

Edward was dumbstruck once again by the small brunette to his right.

"Now, Ms. Merine, I have read the protocol for these meetings. I know that I, as his _therapist _was supposed to be given forty-eight hours to prepare my patient emotionally for the interrogation you have in mind. By this meeting, you, and all of your colleagues, I'd like to respectfully inform, are breaking the law."

No one spoke, and Ms. Merine's eyes were cold and deadly as she took in Bella.

Bella, true to herself, was still standing, not breaking eye contact with anyone of the Board Members.

"And I'm guessing you didn't run this by my superiors."

More silence.

She looked to Paul, who had been quietly waiting behind the glass door, and waved him in. "If you don't mind, I'm going to remove Mr. Cullen from this proceeding until such time that I receive a formal notice."

"Miss. Swan…"

"Betsy. Don't tempt me to go to Harry with this. We both know what will happen to your butt if I do."

Paul walked over to Edward, and un-chained him from the chair.

With a final flip of her hair, she turned to Edward, and with a hand on his lower back, led him out of the shell-shocked assembly.

Edward was amazed by the firecracker at his side.

When she had stood up, in a blaze of glory against the board, he had never felt more like cheering. It had been one whole day since he had met her, and he was enchanted.

When they made it into the hall, and the doors closed behind them, she turned and looked at Edward.

"I'm sorry Mr. Cullen. That was extremely unprofessional and disrespectful. If you want to press charges, I'll help you."

He just gave her a small smile. He was warmed by her anger that had been flamed by his treatment.

She watched him for a moment before smiling back. With a deep breath she shook out her rigid body.

"I have to head home for lunch, but I'll be back for dinner."

His smile remained.

He was looking forward to spending time with her.

Her head snapped up at him. "Did they feed you? It's almost noon."

He realized just then how hungry he actually was. He slowly frowned.

"UGH! I swear to god…"

She rummaged through her bag, and pulled out a couple of nutrigrain bars. "Here. That's all I've got. Paul, will you take him to his cell? I'm going to stop by the cafeteria and have them send down some food. This is so ridiculous…."

She was in a frenzy. Breathing hard, brow furrowed. The idea that she was so scrambled up over Edward made him want to make her sit down and make her take a deep breath.

He pointed, hands still joined towards the bench behind them.

She looked at his finger confused, and tried to give him the bars. "Here, you can sit and eat if you want."

He shook his head and pointed to her, then the bench.

Realization dawned her face. "You want me to take a breather."

He nodded firmly.

She plopped down and looked up at him.

"Happy?"

Edward nodded, and took the bars.

_**BPOV**_

Bella walked up the stairs towards the apartment, needing to work off some steam.

She couldn't believe the gall of those people. Being summoned from a session! What bull.

She had been in the middle of a really intense conversation with Randy Marney. Even though his conviction was a little comedic in light, the man had some serious issues. She had a strong inkling he was schizophrenic. During their meeting he had kept looking towards the door, and addressing someone not there.

He had completely avoided talking at all about the 'accident', and instead tried to talk to her into looking some of his old stuff up.

She reached the door, and pushed it open.

When she had seen Edward in that room, all by himself, not a soul beside him in his defense, it had been the last straw. She thought of herself as a pretty calm woman, but she really had wanted to take those handcuffs off of Edward and Strangle Betsy with it.

She had worked with Betsy Merine in her pre-doctorate years as a small little intern. She had been her superior back then at Cascade, but had gotten let go due to her knack of nailing every man with a pulse in the facility. She could pretend to be all high and mighty, but in reality she was just Bimbo Betsy.

Hard rock poured out of the apartment, and the deep bass hit her ribcage, and she felt her organs vibrate.

"Jake?!"

She looked around the kitchen and bedroom, but saw no sign of him. Instead, all of her boxes were neatly stacked by the door, and all of her clothes, art, and belongings had been carefully put away.

"Jake?"

She walked to the living space, and saw him wearing the dirty clothes from yesterday, carefully positioning a brand new flat screen on the wall she had bought a week ago.

"She found the remote on the cushion of the unburied couch, and quickly hit the pause button.

Jake whirled at the sudden quiet, and Bella sighed at what she saw.

His dark hair was plastered to his face in a swamp of sweat and grime. His eyes were red and his lip was bleeding.

He was jumping slightly in place and vibrated with adrenaline.

She dropped her stuff on the floor and came to him, wrapping her arms around him.

"Oh Jake."

He was still jumping in place, his heart thundering in his chest.

He held her to him, and breathed in her scent.

She leaned back, and seeing his closed off face, held up a finger, and went to her bedroom.

She returned wearing only a thin t-shirt and shorts.

"Come on. Let's go for a run."

He breathed out a small chuckle, and after ditching his shirt, ran after her down the hall.

She led him out of her building, and into the dense woods behind the parking lot. There was no trail, but that was fine with them.

They both needed blind distraction.

While she ran, she thought of the interviews she had done that morning. She had met with Randy, and the youngest of her ten, Demetri Walker.

He was a sad case.

She pushed herself over a log with a un-lady-like grunt.

He was so young. Only nineteen. With a murder under his belt.

You could tell that he regretted his life. His brow had been heavy with guilt as she had talked to him.

Why did she live in a world like this?

* * *

_Whew! _

_That was a very emotional chapter. Sorry for the long wait. Life is life. _

_More coming._

_Leave me a review. Double reviews=Faster update. _

_Love ya!_

**_All copyright claims go to Stephanie Meyer._**

_P.S. Looking for another good Beta. Know any?_


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